Enameling apparatus



Aug. 11, 1925. 1 1,549,283

W. D. ALLEN ENAMELING- APPARATUS Filed May 23. 1924 Patented Aug. 11, 1925.

UNITED STATES WILL DEAN ALLEN, OF FARMINGTON, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

ENAMELING APPARATUS.

Application filed May 23,

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, VILL' DEAN ALLEN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Farmington, in the county of Straord and State of New Hampshire, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Enameling Apparatus, of which the following is a specilication.

The object of this invention is to provide means whereby a large number of racks supporting articles, such as wooden brush handles, and adapted to be dipped in liquid enamel to coat the supported articles, may be supported and moved in a drying space or chamber while the articles are being dried, a particular object being to enable two operators to work simultaneously and rapidly, manipulating the racks to first coat the articles thereon, and then progressively move the racks through a space in which the enamel is dried, and finally, removing the dried articles.

rlhe preferred form of the apparatus em` bodying the invention comprises a drying chamber through which heated air is circulated, two substantially horizontal runways extending from end to end of the chamber, each runway being adapted to support a procession of racks and dipping tanks located at opposite ends of the chamber, the arrangement being such that two operators, onel at each end of the chamber, may work simultaneously, each operator dipping racks successively in a tank,v pushing the dipped racks along one runway toward the other operator, and removing other racks pushed along the other runway by the other operator. e

Of the accompanying drawings forming a. part of this specification,m I

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of an apparatus embodying the invention.

Figure 2 Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view, showing a portion of one end of the chamber and a portion of one of the runways.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the racks shown by Figures 1 and 2.

The saine reference characters indicate the same partsin all of the figures.

The drying chamber shown'by the drawings includes side walls 12, end walls 13,

is a section` on line 2 2 of 1924. Serial No. 715,454.

and a top 140, these being preferably of sheet metal. The end walls are provided with transverse openings 15. The chamber is provided with two substantially horizontal runways extending from end to end of the chamber, one being a lower runway extending continuously between the openings 15, and the other an upper runway extending continuously between said openings. Each runway may be conveniently formed by a pair of angle bars 14, constituting track members secured to the side walls 12. Said members preferably project through the openings 15, as best shown by Figure 3.

Associated with the drying chamber are two dipping tanks 16, containing liquid enamel. The tanks are located out-side of and adjacent to the end walls 13 and below the projecting ends of the runways.

rlhe racks are preferably constructed as Shown by my Patent No. 1,452,821, dated April 24, 1223, each being an open frame or grid, composed of spaced apart parallel bars 17 (Figure 4), having upwardly projecting holders 19, with which articles 20 to be enameled are engaged. The end portions of the racks are adapted to slide on the runways, the major portions of the racks being exposed between the runway members, so that the articles thereon are surrounded by heated air rising in the chamber.

The apparatus thus described may be used by two operators, one at each end of the chamber, the operators being in position to insert racks into the tanks. The operators work simultaneously, each operator dipping racks successively into one of the tanks and depositing the racks successively on the projecting ends of the members of one runway. The surplus enamel dripping from each rack thus deposited, and from the articles thereon, drops into the tank below it, the tank being preferably provided with an inclined apron 22, arranged to guide some of the drippingsinto the tank. The operator when depositing a rack on the runway members, and pushing 1t toward the chamber, causes the rack to push another rack or racks previously deposited, until there is a procession of racks extending t-he entire length of the runway. The arrows fr, a", (Figure 1) indicate the direction of movement of the racks controlled by an operator at the left hand end of the chamber. The operator at the right hand end dips racks in the corresponding tank, deposits the racks on the members of the other runway, and pushes the racks in the direction of the arrows y, y. Each operator successively removes theracks pushed toward him and, in case the articles on these racks have not been suiiiciently coated, the operator dips the racks again,*deposits themon his runway, and causes them to again pass through the chamber. Emerging racks carrying articles which have been suliiciently coated, are laid aside by the receiving operator.

VThe length of the chamber and runways is such that during a single pass of a rack through the chamber, the coatings on the articles carried by the rack, vare suiiiciently dried, means beingpreerably provided, as described hereinafter, for causing a circulation of heated air through the chamber in contact with the coated articles.

I prefer to provide means under thereceiving end portions of the runways for removably supporting drip pans 24 in position to catch any drip which is not caught by the accompanying tank 1G, said means in this instance, being angle bars 25, secured to the side walls 12 below the bars 14, constituting track members communicating with the openings 15, so that the drip pans may be removed through said openings to pour the enamel collected therein into the tanks 16.

It is obvious that the invention may Vbe embodied in an apparatus including a chamber having only one runway, the racks emerging from this runway, and carrying articles which have been coated once, being removed and laid aside. It is usually desirable, however, to coat the articles two or more times. Any number of coatings may be applied by the two operators working simultaneously, as above described.

The chamber is preferably provided below the runways with heating means, adapted to heat air admitted through inlets 26 in the lower portion of the chamber, the heating means here shown being a steam i coil 27.

To induce an eective upward movement of the heated air, I provide a horizontal partition 28, spaced Jfrom the top 14:0, by an exhaust chamber 30, and having openings 31. The top 14:0 communicates with a draftinducing flue or stack 32.

I claim:

1. An enameling apparatus comprising a drying chamber including side walls and 1 end walls, the end walls being provided with transverse openings, a substantially horizontal rack-guiding krunway composed of spaced apart track members extending continuously between said openings and formed to guide the end portions of enameling racks bridging the space between the drying chamber including side walls and end i.

walls, the end walls being provided with transverse openings, a substantially horizontal lower runway composed of spaced apart track members extending continuously between said openings, and a substantially horizontal upper runway also composed of spaced apart track members, extending continuously between said openings, the track members of each runway being formed to guide the end portions' of enameling racks bridging the-space between said members, the arrangement being such that two operators, one at each end of the chamber, may'work simultaneously, each operator `depositing racks successively on one end of a runway, and pushing the racks in a procession toward the other operator.

3. An enameling apparatus comprising a drying chamber including sideJ walls and end wails` the end walls being provided with transverse openings, a substantially horizontal lower runway composedV of spaced apart track members extending continuously between said openings, a substantially horizontal upper runway also composed of spaced apart track members, extending continuously between said openings, the track members of each runway being formed to guide the end portions of enameling racks bridging the space between said members, and dipping tanks located outside the chamber, below the ends of the runways, the arrangement being such that two operators, one at each end of the chamber, may work simultaneously, each operator dipping racks successively in a tank, depositing the dipped racks successively on one end of a runway, pushing the racks in a procession toward the other operator, and removing other racks pushed alongthe other runway by the other operator.

4. An enameling apparatus comprising a drying chamber having two substantially horizontal runways extending through the chamber, and dipping tanks located at opposite ends'of the chamber, the runways projecting Vfrom opposite ends of the chamber and overhanging the tanks, so that enamel dripping from articles on the overhanging portions of the runways is received by the tanks` 5. An enameling apparatus comprising a haust Chamber, said partition having air drying chamber, hav ing a substantially horiopenings, and an outlet communicating with zontal runway extending from end to end the exhaust chamber. 10 of the chamber, air-heating means below the In testimony whereof I have affixed my runway, air inlets below the heating means, signature.

a partition above the runway and below the chamber top forming the bottom of an eX- VILL DEAN ALLEN. 

